Estrella Foothills High School goalkeeper watches on as his team plays Youngker High School in the 2024 Special Olympics Arizona AIA Unified Soccer State Championship, at Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona on February 9th.
Niall Rosenberg
Special Olympics Arizona offers people with intellectual disabilities the chance to win gold
By: Niall Rosenberg
When people view others with intellectual disabilities, they begin to underestimate them.
They think they are weak and mindless, and some even believe that they are less than them. In reality, these people with intellectual disabilities are so much more than they are given credit for. In Arizona, they are athletes and can compete like anyone else through Special Olympics Arizona.
Special Olympics Arizona has been supporting those with intellectual disabilities for almost 30 years. The organization has given an outlet for those with intellectual disabilities in Arizona to compete in any sport of their choosing.
According to the Special Olympics Arizona website, these athletes can compete in 21 sports, and just in the Palo Verde region, which consists of Avondale, Glendale, Goodyear, Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise, and surrounding cities, athletes can compete in 12 different sports. Other regions in the state of Arizona include the River, Mountain, Monument, Four Peaks and Coronado.
This Google Map shows the six Special Olympics Arizona regions and the cities that fall under each. The regions include River, Mountain, Monument, Palo Verde, Four Peaks and Coronado.
Niall Rosenberg
The Special Olympics Arizona AIA Unified Soccer State Championships took place on February 9th, 2024, at Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona. Unified sports means that athletes with intellectual disabilities play with other athletes without intellectual disabilities.
The event was split up into two games, the first being the Silver Division Championship between Youngker High School in Buckeye, Arizona, and Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear, Arizona. The second game was for the Gold Division Championship between Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona and Glendale High School in Glendale, Arizona.
The first game between Youngker and Estrella Foothills was a rematch of last year’s contest where Estrella Foothills won. This time around, Youngker High School overcame Estrella Foothills and won the gold.
The second game was between Willow Canyon High School and Glendale High School. This game was not as close as the Silver Division Championship with Glendale High School defeating Willow Canyon to win the gold.
To learn more about this slideshow, click the audio player below!
Youngker High School, the champions of the Silver Division, are coached by Emma Hull. Unified partner Landen Edwards, part of the team that won the gold, talked about how his team came together and bonded to win.
“We’ve grown as a family together, we have closer bonds. That’s what helps us communicate together,” Edwards said.
Currently, the statistic provided by Special Olympics Arizona on their website states that there are 21,461 participating Special Olympics athletes in Arizona. The organization offers those in the Grand Canyon State the opportunity to stay active and prevent themselves from becoming overweight or obese, which can lead to physical health issues.
Gianna Zola, the Director of Health and Education at Special Olympics Arizona, works closely to maintain health and fitness among the organization’s athletes. Whether at practice or any of the events hosted by Special Olympics Arizona, Zola works with thousands of athletes every year to ensure they are in peak condition to compete.
Zola spoke on her work with Special Olympics Arizona and how important it is for Special Olympics Athletes to stay active every year.
“I think that lifelong engagement is really important, and I would say that’s a big goal of ours is to provide opportunities for our athletes from a young age,” Zola said. “Not only will it allow them to be more active throughout their lifespan, but also contributes to social engagement opportunities.”
Willow Canyon High School takes on Glendale High School in the Gold Division Championship game at Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona on February 9th, 2024.
Niall Rosenberg
These differing sporting events offered by Special Olympics Arizona allow people with intellectual disabilities from all over the state to compete in their favorite sports. This is a stark difference from the first Special Olympics Arizona event which was a one-day track and field event that had only 100 athletes compete according to their website.
One of the many people that has made the expansion of Special Olympics Arizona possible is Jamie Heckerman. Heckerman, an Arizona State University graduate, has worked her way up through Special Olympics Arizona and became the President and CEO in 2018.
The former wheelchair basketball player talked about her first experience working with Special Olympics.
“It was an off-season bowling league. I was there to collect money and make sure athletes got to the correct lanes. I had no experience with the population before, but you find that genuine humanity amongst our athletes,” Heckerman said. “Who we should really strive to be is who they are.”
Youngker High School students who were bussed to the event to show their support for their team at Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona on February 9th, 2024
Niall Rosenberg
Special Olympics Arizona accepts donations through its website. According to their website, donations are used for equipment, attire, and health supplies. For more information on the organization, visit resources.